


Neighbourly

by Shadowmatic



Series: Hobbit IKEA AU [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: And they were neighbours, Gandalf is a Meddling Bastard, Gen, moving in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22324654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowmatic/pseuds/Shadowmatic
Summary: Gandalf tries to introduce his two favourite socially anxious recluses to each other, not realizing that they have already met.
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel & Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins & Bungo Baggins & Belladonna Took, Bilbo Baggins & Dís, Bilbo Baggins & Fíli & Kíli, Bilbo Baggins & Gandalf | Mithrandir, Bilbo Baggins & Thorin Oakenshield, Bungo Baggins/Belladonna Took, Dís (Tolkien)/Víli (Sansûkh), Dís/Dís's Husband, Thorin Oakenshield & Dís & Fíli & Kíli
Series: Hobbit IKEA AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600405
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	Neighbourly

Bilbo stared at the pile of bags on his kitchen counter. He had finished dropping Prim and the boys off, and then returned to his new flat. It didn’t feel at all like home yet, but he hoped it would eventually. 

Bilbo heaved a sigh and went to get a container of soup out of the freezer. He removed the top, and was about to start the microwave when he remembered that Prim had purchased a cover for the microwave, and he went to find it. 

Plastic prize located, Bilbo stared at the phone while he waited for the microwave to do its magic. What the blinking light meant finally registered, and Bilbo snatched the phone up and accessed his voicemails. 

“Bilbo,” Gandalf’s familiar smoke roughened voice said in his ear, “I am glad to see that you are not as much of a homebody as your father is. However, I believe I have found a suitable tenant for the other flat, and I would appreciate it if you were home at eleven o’clock tomorrow so that you may meet him.” The voicemail ended just as the microwave beeped. 

The thing was, Bilbo definitely was a homebody when he didn’t have to go anywhere, and given that it was July, he definitely didn’t have to go anywhere. 

He spent the first part of the morning baking his mother’s raspberry muffins, and therefore, lost track of time. He was singing an old washing up song that his grandfather had taught him when he was young, when there was a knock on the door. 

“Just a minute.” Bilbo called, shutting off the water and drying his hands on his apron before throwing it onto one of the chairs and jogging over to the door. He threw it open to find Gandalf standing in the small foyer. “Ah, Gandalf, is it eleven already?” Given that Gandalf was notorious for being late, it may be even later than that. 

“Not quite my dear boy.” Gandalf smiled.“It’s twenty to, I just thought I would come and make sure that you had gotten my message.” 

“Yes, thank you.” 

“Are you baking muffins?” He asked, smoothing his lapels unnecessarily. Gandalf always looked well put together, unless he had gotten attacked by small children, which tended to happen when he was around the Bagginses or the Tooks, or any other Yavan family that Bilbo was even partially part of. 

“Yes.” Bilbo said. “They’ll be ready in a bit.” 

“I’ll leave you to it.” Gandalf smiled in that way that he had, the way that meant that everything was going according to his plan, and left. 

Bilbo frowned slightly, and turned back into his flat. Gandalf looked like he was trying to meddle in something, but Bilbo had no idea what that could be. 

Five after eleven had Gandalf knocking on Bilbo’s door again. This time, Bilbo was more prepared. He opened the door to find Gandalf, and Thorin Durinson, of all people, standing on the other side.

“Oh.” He said, slightly thrown. “Hello.” 

“Master Baggins.” Thorin inclined his head. 

“I see the two of you have met.” Gandalf sounded even more thrown off guard than Bilbo had been, or as one of his TA’s Estel liked to say, thrown off of his rhythm. Bilbo couldn’t help his smile. He had, much like his mother, always found joy in startling the old Istar. “Excellent. I hope you won’t mind being neighbours.” 

“I shouldn’t think so.” Bilbo said. He knew very little about Thorin Durinson, but he rarely had quarrels with his neighbours. “Would either of you like a muffin? They’re raspberry.” 

“Yes please.” Gandalf said firmly, and Thorin nodded. He was still hovering kind of awkwardly behind Gandalf, and Bilbo felt a little bad for not having let them in, but his flat was not in any state for visitors. 

“Just a minute.” The kitchen wasn’t far, and Bilbo grabbed two muffins off of the cooling rack and was back in just a moment. He handed over the still warm muffins, and both of them took a minute to just smell them. 

Thorin was the first to take a bite, and he looked almost shocked, chewing thoughtfully. 

“These are very good.” He said. “Thank you.” 

“Thank you.” Bilbo smiled. “It’s a family recipe.” 

“Yes, thank you Bilbo.” Gandalf said, and he looked like he was coveting his own muffin, he had always loved Belladonna’s muffins, and it was a Took family recipe. He picked up the ever present umbrella, which he had propped up next to the door. “I’m afraid we have to go, but I’ll see you later.” 

“Thank you for dropping by.” Bilbo waited until they had vanished into the flat across the hall before he shut the door. 

As it turned out, Thorin had liked the flat, and would be moving in the very next day, which did not give Bilbo very much time to do any more baking, especially giving the limited supplies that he currently had in his kitchen. Thorin had seemed to like the muffins though, so he separated several out into a Tupperware container that he didn’t care about before putting the rest away. 

When Bilbo woke the next morning, intent to work on unpacking further, there was already the sound of several people, tromping around in the flat next door. Bilbo threw on his dressing gown and looked out the window to the front yard. Immediately little Kíli caught his eye. 

He was seated on top of several boxes in the back of the UHaul truck parked outside. He looked up and upon spotting Bilbo, began to wave enthusiastically. His mother soon joined him, and turned to look up at the window. Bilbo waved back, feeling a little awkward, but it was worth the grin that Kíli beamed up at him. 

Bilbo was properly dressed by the time they were done, and he brought the Tupperware of muffins out, joining the four of them on the porch. 

“Mr. Bilbo!” Kíli exclaimed, once again the first to spot him. “Are those muffins?” 

“Yes. Here.” He handed the box to Thorin who opened it and handed Kíli and Fíli both muffins. 

“Thank you Master Baggins.” Dís said, taking a muffin from her brother. “These boys, all three of them, were far to impatient to allow me to get any breakfast into them, and they were all starting to get a little cranky.” 

“It’s no problem.” Bilbo said, as he watched Thorin’s cheeks colour slightly. “And please, call me Bilbo Ms. Durinson.” 

“Just Dís thanks, I’m no school teacher.” Dís said, before nudging Fíli slightly. “What do you say for the muffins?” 

“Thank you Bilbo.” Kíli chirped, and Fíli said the same. 

“You’re welcome.” Bilbo really wanted to ruffle their hair, but he knew enough about Dwarrow from his readings and from his mother to know that that was entirely inappropriate. Besides, he tried not to touch people without permission. He knew just how much that could freak a person out. There really was a reason that Bilbo was such a homebody. 

“Well,” Dís said eventually, “I got to take these two rascals to swimming lessons.” She stood, to the whining and protesting of her two boys. 

“Thank you so much for your help.” Thorin also levered himself to his feet. “Give my best to Víli please.” 

“Of course.” Dís smiled. “See you on Sunday.” The look was pointed and spoke of missed meetings and lost brothers. “It was nice to properly meet you Bilbo.” 

“You too.” Bilbo said, and soon Bilbo and Thorin were left alone on the porch. 

“Thank you again, for the muffins Master Baggins.” Thorin held out the container, which still contained four muffins. 

“They’re for you Master Durinson.” Bilbo said, standing. “And please, call me Bilbo.” 

“Thorin. And. Thank you.” 

“Of course Thorin.” It felt like a gift, to be given permission to use Thorin’s first name, and he couldn’t help the smile that affixed itself to Bilbo’s face and stayed there. 

**Author's Note:**

> Gandalf is an Istar, which in this AU, much like Dwarrow and Yavan, are different cultures. That’s the only thing I can really think of to add here.


End file.
